Keira Knightley

Possessed of a willowy physicality that belied her formidable inner strength, British actress Keira Knightley rose to international prominence after starring in an independent film and a big-budget ac...
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Samuel L. Jackson has opened at the top of the box office for a second time in 2008. His racially-charged, crooked-cop flick Lakeview Terrace (Sony) has opened at No. 1, as I first reported Friday night, with a $15.6M opening. The movie clearly "clicked" with audiences, surging almost 26 percent on Saturday from Friday's $5.1M opening day, and Sony is anticipating $3.92M today. The three-day for Lakeview Terrace is about 15 percent higher than the $13.5M that I projected Friday night.
Jackson opened at No. 1 back in February with Jumper ($27.3M), but still Lakeview Lakeview Terrace represents only the all-time 13th-best opening for him, about on par with 2000's Rules of Engagement ($15M). It is easily the biggest opening for playwright-turned-director Neil LaBute, surpassing his dreadful remake of The Wicker Man ($9.6M). The playwright-turned-director became friends with budding superstar Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight) while attending BYU, and the square-jawed actor starred in LaBute’s first 2 features--Sundance winner In the Company of Men ($2.8M cume) and Your Friends and Neighbors ($4.7M). Unfortunately, he has drifted from edgy, cynical arthouse fare to lesser commercial projects as evidenced by the 43 percent Fresh score for Lakeview Terrace on Rotten Tomatoes (still better than the 15 percent Fresh registered by The Wicker Man).
Actor Patrick Wilson's star continues to rise quickly. He opened to excellent reviews on Broadway in All My Sons, also starring John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest and Katie Holmes on Thursday night in New York City. Wilson, a Golden Globe nominee for HBO’s Angels in America and the star of Todd Field’s excellent Little Children. Lakeview Terrace is by far his most commercial film, and, with Passengers (Sony) and Valkyrie (MGM/UA) due by the end of the year and Zack Snyder’s hyper-buzzed Watchmen (Warner Bros) set for March, it is probably just a next step to super-stardom.
Lakeview Terrace is yet another great little hit for Sony. The movie was made for just $20M, and it follows the modestly budgeted hits Pineapple Express and The House Bunny. Both movies were made inexpensively and will finish their runs as wildly profitable projects, and now it appears that Lakeview Terrace will follow suit.
The Coen Brothers' Burn After Reading (Focus) will finish the weekend at No. 2 in exactly the range I called for Friday night. The studio-estimated $11.29M for the goofy spy comedy was down just 41 percent from opening weekend, and Burn is already the all-time fourth-best grossing movie from Joel and Ethan Coen, trailing only last year’s Oscar winner No Country For Old Men ($74.2M cume) and The Ladykillers ($39.8M).
The new Dane Cook R-rated comedy My Best Friend's Girl (Lionsgate) may put a cramp in the stand up-comic-turned-actor's film career. With an opening of $8.3M and third place finish, the movie is only the comic’s fifth-best opening as a lead, behind Good Luck Chuck ($13.6M), Dan in Real Life ($11.8M), Employee of the Month ($11.4M) and Mr. Brooks ($10M). This movie is comparable to his first film vehicle Waiting ($6M opening), and it is hard to see how this one will push past $20M domestic. The movie, also starring Kate Hudson, scrounged up just $2.85M in opening day ticket sales on its way to a likely three-day of just $7.7M.
Igor (MGM), the new low budget animated family film received a much larger-than-expected 64 percent bounce, and that has translated to an estimated $8M and a No. 4 finish. Meanwhile, Righteous Kill (Overture) appears to have nosed out Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (Lionsgate) for the weekend $7.7M-$7.5M.
The other new wide release, Ghost Town (Dreamworks/Paramount) starring Ricky Gervais (HBO’s Extras), has stumbled out of the gate with just $5.17M. Written and directed by Steven Spielberg pal David Koepp was on a limited number of screens concentrated on the east and west coasts, but its $3,436 Per Theatre Average was still very soft.
The Duchess (Paramount Vantage) was the biggest success among specialty releases. The Keira Knightley/Ralph Fiennes period costume drama posted a $29,000 PTA at 7 locations. Appaloosa (Warner Bros), directed by Ed Harris and starring Viggo Mortensen and Renee Zellweger, scored the No. 2 PTA of $18,429 at 14 playdates.
THREE-DAY STUDIO ESTIMATES
1. NEW - Lakeview Terrace (Sony) - $15.6M, $6,331 PTA, $15.6M cume
2. Burn After Reading (Focus) - $11.29M, $4,251 PTA, $36.4M cume
3. NEW - My Best Friend's Girl (Lionsgate) - $8.3M, $3,187 PTA, $8.3M cume
4. NEW - Igor (MGM) - $8M, $3,425 PTA, $8M cume
5. Righteous Kill (Overture) - $7.7M, $2,443 PTA, $28.8M cume
6. Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (Lionsgate) - $7.5M, $3,623 PTA, $28.35M cumez
7. The Women (Picturehouse) - $5.3M, $1,772 PTA, $19.2M cume
8. NEW - Ghost Town (Dreamworks/Paramount) - $5.17M, $3,436 PTA, $5.17M cume
9. The Dark Knight (Warner Bros) - $2.95M, $1,549 PTA, $521.92M cume
10. The House Bunny (Sony) - $2.8M, $1,047 PTA, $45.72M cume

Samuel L. Jackson’s “scare tactics” in Lakeview Terrace (Sony) have put this Neil LaBute-directed thriller at the top of the box office heap for the three-day weekend. The racially-charged, crooked-cop yarn sold an estimated $4.7M in tickets on Friday, and it should finish the weekend with $13.5M or so.
For Jackson, Lakeview Terrace doesn’t even crack his top 15 openings, settling for a number on par with 2006’s Snakes on a Plane ($13.8M), but it is easily LaBute’s all-time biggest opening, surpassing his dreadful remake of The Wicker Man ($9.6M). The playwright-turned-director became friends with budding superstar Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight) while attending BYU, and the square-jawed actor starred in LaBute’s first 2 features--Sundance winner In the Company of Men ($2.8M cume) and Your Friends and Neighbors ($4.7M). Unfortunately, he has drifted from edgy, cynical arthouse fare to lesser commercial projects as evidenced by the 43 percent Fresh score for Lakeview Terrace on Rotten Tomatoes (still better than the 15 percent Fresh registered by The Wicker Man).
The weekend’s No. 1 movie also stars Patrick Wilson, a Golden Globe nominee for HBO’s Angels in America and the star of Todd Field’s excellent Little Children. Lakeview Terrace is by far his most commercial film, and, with Passengers (Sony) and Valkyrie (MGM/UA) due by the end of the year and Zack Snyder’s hyper-buzzed Watchmen (Warner Bros) set for March, it is probably just a next step to super-stardom.
The Coen Brothers’ Burn After Reading (Focus) is solidly at No. 2 for Friday with an estimated $3.42M. That should translate to an excellent $11.3M, down just 41 percent from opening weekend. By Monday the goofball spy comedy will have banked $36.4M making it the all-time third-best grossing movie from Joel and Ethan Coen, trailing only last year’s Oscar winner No Country For Old Men ($74.2M cume) and The Ladykillers ($39.8M).
Having the most MySpace friends apparently doesn’t make you a sure-thing at the box office. Dane Cook, the stand-up comic-turned-actor who built his career, in part, on the social networking site MySpace, has flopped in the new Lionsgate comedy My Best Friend's Girl. The movie, also starring Kate Hudson, scrounged up just $2.85M in opening day ticket sales on its way to a likely three-day of just $7.7M.
Industry tracking seemed to suggest $10M+ for this R-rated comedy, but instead the movie is a step backwards for Cook’s big screen career. My Best Friend's Girl is only the comic’s fifth-best opening as a lead, behind Good Luck Chuck ($13.6M), Dan in Real Life ($11.8M), Employee of the Month ($11.4M) and Mr. Brooks ($10M). This movie is comparable to his first film vehicle Waiting ($6M opening), and it is hard to see how this one will push past $20M domestic.
Holdovers Righteous Kill (Overture) and Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (Lionsgate) are neck-and-neck for the day with Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro holding the edge $2.34M-$2.2M. Perry’s film will play stronger with families on Saturday and Sunday, however, so The Family That Preys will likely finish No. 4 with $7.59M compared to $7.2M for Kill.
Two other new wide releases have opened very softly. MGM’s animated Igor managed $1.9M on Friday, and it will likely finish sixth with a disappointing $6.8M. Meanwhile, Ghost Town (Dreamworks/Paramount) from Steven Spielberg pal David Koepp and starring Ricky Gervais (HBO’s Extras) generated just $1.65M in Friday sales, and it is headed for an opening weekend of only $5.5M.
On the specialty front, there is very good news for The Duchess (Paramount Vantage), which debuted at seven locations. With Oscar nominees Keira Knightley (Atonement) and Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient) on the marquee, this period costume drama delivered an impressive $62,000 on Friday for a $9,000 Per Theatre Average. The film should wrap the weekend with a $30,000 PTA as it sets up for its platform release.
EARLY THREE-DAY ESTIMATES
1. NEW - Lakeview Terrace (Sony) - $13.5M, $5,479 PTA, $13.5M cume
2. Burn After Reading (Focus) - $11.3M, $4,253 PTA, $36.4M cume
3. NEW - My Best Friend's Girl (Lionsgate) - $7.7M, $2,957 PTA, $7.7M cume
4. Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (Lionsgate) - $7.59M, $3,667 PTA, $28.44M cume
5. Righteous Kill (Overture) - $7.2M, $2,284 PTA, $28.3M cume
6. NEW - Igor (MGM) - $6.8M, $2,907 PTA, $6.8M cume
7. The Women (Picturehouse) - $5.61M, $1,876 PTA, $19.52M cume
8. NEW - Ghost Town (Dreamworks/Paramount) - $5.5M, $3,654 PTA, $5.5M cume
9. The House Bunny (Sony) - $3.29M, $1,232 PTA, $46.22M cume
10. The Dark Knight (Warner Bros) - $3.14M, $1,651 PTA, $522.11M cume

Keira Knightley, Eva Mendes, Sam Worthington and Guillaume Canet are set to star in Last Night, the feature directing debut of Massy Tadjedin.
Tadjedin, who also wrote the screenplay for The Jacket, wrote the Night script.
Production begins in New York next month, says Variety.
The story centers on a married couple who are apart for a night while the husband takes a business trip with a colleague to whom he’s attracted. While he’s resisting temptation, his wife encounters her past love.
Tadjedin has also been writing an untitled project for Steven Spielberg.
Knightley has received winning notices for her upcoming turn in period piece The Duchess.
French star Canet is currently enjoying darling status among U.S. critics for his sleeper Tell No One which he directed and adapted from a Harlen Coben novel.
In 2006, he won France’s Cesar award, the equivalent to the Oscar, for best director.

Although set about 200 years before the world had ever heard of Lady Diana Spencer this is the true story of another royal Spencer The Duchess of Devonshire Georgiana Spencer (Knightley) whose personal and professional life and innate sense of fashion and glamour made her all the rage in England and led her to a royal life of triumph and tragedy. Sound familiar? Based on Amanda Foreman’s award-winning biography this compelling film version introduces us to a dynamic woman whose feistiness and sense of style made her a star attraction in England’s royal circle. Smart as a whip and eventual leader of the progressive Whig party Georgiana had it all--except the one thing she wanted most the love of her husband The Duke (Ralph Fiennes) who became so obsessed with siring a son that he turned to open affairs with other women including his wife’s best friend Bess (Hayley Atwell). This humiliation and betrayal by her husband and friend leads to her own attempt at romantic happiness in a sizzling affair with the abolitionist Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper). Putting it simply Knightley has the role of a lifetime and socks it home with the kind of acting bravado she hasn’t displayed even in her best films Pride and Prejudice and last year’s Atonement. This is the kind of part an actor kills for an emotional powerhouse that allows her to run the gamut from glamour queen powerful political force tortured wife passionate lover and tragic heroine. The story of this Duchess has it all and is only enhanced by the eerie parallels to her royal descendant Princess Diana. If there is any justice Knightley will be nominated for an Oscar. She deserves it. Fiennes is equally good enjoying his finest screen outing in some time as the cold-hearted Duke who puts his own selfish goals above all else. Their scenes together are spectacularly well-acted. Atwell is demure and understated as Bess the third wheel in a very complicated relationship. She’s slyly amusing particularly in scenes she shares at the dining table with the Duke and Duchess. Cooper makes a strong impression turning up the heat as the dashing Grey especially in a smoldering love scene with Knightley. The ever-reliable Charlotte Rampling is regally comfortable in the role of Lady Spencer Georgiana’s proper mother who tries to dole out useful advice against all odds. Saul Dibb (Bullet Boy) does not have a long directing resume but you wouldn’t know it from the first-rate production he has mounted for The Duchess. Dibb recreates the privileged world of these somewhat pained characters with no detail spared. Dibb’s widescreen framing of this historic soap opera is breathtakingly beautiful to see his obvious filmmaking confidence paying off in a great looking motion picture. But it is a lot more than just pomp and circumstance. Often period dramas tend to get bogged down in spectacle and forget the human element. This is a case where moviegoers will be glued to their seats from first frame to last. It’s a whopper of a story he has adapted (with Jeffrey Hatcher and Anders Thomas Jensen) that thankfully doesn’t get lost in minutiae. Of particular note are Michael O’Connor’s costumes and Jan Archibald’s loopy hairstyle designs along with a stirring musical score supplied by Rachel Portman.

Gold Derby’s Tom O’Neil writes from the Toronto Film Festival that although several Oscar contenders are absent from the Great White North this year, some in town are positioned as awards-season favorites while others have stumbled out of the gate.
Click here for photos from the festival
O’Neil comments that a handful of actresses garnered strong buzz including Sally Hawkins in Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky, Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married (she also started Oscar prognosticators’ tongues wagging a week ago at the Venice Film Festival), and Keira Knightley in another period turn in The Duchess. Knightley was also hot coming off of last year’s Venice opener Atonement, although she ultimately did not snag an Oscar nom.
Encouraging early word also hovered around Kate Beckinsale’s role in Nothing but the Truth, while some were excited about Dakota Fanning in The Secret Life of Bees.
Among other actresses folks are paying attention to this awards season are Angelina Jolie in Clint Eastwood’s Changeling, Nicole Kidman in Baz Luhrmann’s Australia, Melissa Leo in Sundance hit Frozen River, Meryl Streep in John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt, Kristin Scott Thomas in the French film I've Loved You So Long and Kate Winslet with both her husband Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road (which reteams her with Titanic costar Leonardo DiCaprio) and maybe The Reader from Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry. Of those gals, Thomas, Streep and Winslet seem especially strong at this early point on the track, says O’Neil.
In the lead-actor race, Viggo Mortensen didn’t fare too well in Toronto with either the Ed Harris-directed Appaloosa or Vicente Amorim’s Good. But he still has The Road, adapted from the Cormac McCarthy novel, ahead.
Cannes best-actor winner Benicio del Toro also generated some excitement in Toronto with Steven Soderbergh’s Che, but the big news was the return of Mickey Rourke in Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler. The film just won the top prize at the Venice festival and was acquired for North American distribution by Fox Searchlight for a reported $4 million after a bidding war.
Based upon audience reaction to The Wrestler’s screening, Rourke seems like a sure bet for a lead-actor nod, says O’Neil. But it's still unclear if the film can strong-arm a bid for best picture or director.
Finally, says O’Neil, one best-picture contender stood out amongst the offerings thus far in Toronto (the festival ends on September 13). That honor belongs to Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire.
As O’Neil writes, “Thrillingly, it pursues the two greatest quests of man--love and riches--with plot twists that surprise and satisfy.”
More and more Oscar gurus believe it's a crowd-pleaser like Juno and Little Miss Sunshine, which were also distributed by Fox Searchlight.
More than anything else, what Slumdog has going for it, says O’Neil, is the Rooting Factor, which is essential considering how Oscar balloting works. Although voters rank their five choices on nomination ballots for the first ballot round, only No. 1-ranked votes really count, and Slumdog is the kind of pic that will generate lots of those, O’Neil opines.

Keira Knightley has no plans to reprise her role in the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise.
The British actress shot to international fame after playing Elizabeth Swann in the adventure trilogy, co-starring Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom.
But the star insists she is ready to explore other film projects saying:
"I think it was wonderful and an amazing opportunity and those films were just extraordinary and I was extremely lucky to be a part of them. But no. I think my pirating days may be over."
(c) 2008 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.

Will Smith has been crowned the highest earning actor in Hollywood, with a fortune of $80 million.
The Hancock star came first in the Forbes ranking to find the best paid actor of last year.
Cameron Diaz was Hollywood's highest earning actress with a fortune of $50 million, with Keira Knightley and Jennifer Aniston in second and third place with $32 million and $27 million, respectively.
Coming in behind Smith was Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp, who got paid a whopping $72 million.
The top five paid actors from June 2007 to June 2008 were rounded out by Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers, who took home $55 million each, and Leonardo DiCaprio, who pulled in $45 million.
The full list of Hollywood stars' paychecks are as follows:
1. Will Smith - $80 million
2. Johnny Depp - $72 million
3. Eddie Murphy - $55 million
3. Mike Myers - $55 million
5. Leonardo DiCaprio - $45 million
6. Bruce Willis - $41 million
7. Ben Stiller - $40 million
8. Nicolas Cage - $31 million
9. Will Ferrell - $31 million
10. Adam Sandler - $30 million
COPYRIGHT 2008 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All Global Rights Reserved.

Keira Knightley is in talks to play Eliza Doolittle in a feature update of the classic musical My Fair Lady. The film is set to be produced by Duncan Kenworthy, who worked with Knightley on 2003’s Love Actually. London theater bigwig Cameron Mackintosh, who has produced two stage revivals of My Fair Lady, is also a producer.
Variety says that although the film is being called an update, it will use the original Lerner &amp; Loewe score and retain its 1912 setting. Elements of the original play, George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion--upon which the 1956 musical was based--will be incorporated to dramatize the emotional highs and lows of Doolittle as she evolves from Covent Garden flower girl to high street lady under the tutelage of Professor Henry Higgins. Alan Jay Lerner's book of the Broadway musical will serve as the primary basis for the adaptation.
My Fair Lady, with book and lyrics by Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, was first staged in 1956 with Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. Audrey Hepburn and Harrison starred in the Oscar-winning George Cukor-directed film in 1964.
The producers intend to shoot the film on location in the original London settings of Covent Garden, Drury Lane, Tottenham Court Road, Wimpole Street and the Ascot racecourse, notes Variety.
Kenworthy told Variety, "With 40 years of hindsight, we're confident that by setting these wonderful characters and brilliant songs in a more realistic context, and by exploring Eliza's emotional journey more fully, we will honor both Shaw and Lerner at the same time as engaging and entertaining contemporary audiences the world over."
In the original film, Higgins comes across Doolittle during a night out at the theater. Her ear-bending accent offends his linguistic sensibilities and, on a bet, he ultimately takes her in promising to teach her ‘proper’ English and manners saying she will be able to pass off as a lady at a ball by the time he’s done. Doolittle struggles with the grueling lessons and the pair bicker endlessly. But in the end, she ultimately shines and finds a true bond with Higgins--in a love-hate sort of way.
The musical spawned such timeless songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “Get Me to the Church on Time” and “The Rain in Spain.” In the original film, Hepburn’s singing was dubbed by Marni Nixon.

Teen comedy Superbad is leading the nominations for the 2008 MTV Movie Awards after picking up five nods, including Best Movie.
The high school comedy, directed by Greg Mottola, also scooped nominations for the film's stars Jonah Hill and Michael Cera, who will compete in the Breakthrough Performance category along with their co-star Christopher Mintz-Plasse. Hill is also up for Best Comedic Performance.
But Superbad will be going up against Oscar-winning Juno--which Cera also stars in--for the Best Movie prize, while the actor is also recognized for his efforts in the teen pregnancy film with a nomination for Best Male Performance.
Meanwhile, the big-screen adaptation of Transformers is nominated for three gongs: Best Movie, Best Male Performance for Shia LaBeouf and Breakthrough Performance for Megan Fox. And Enchanted star Amy Adams also received a trio of nods for the Disney film--Best Female Performance, Best Comedic Performance and Best Kiss for her smooch with Patrick Dempsey.
The winners for the 17th Annual MTV Movie Awards will be unveiled on June 1 at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City, California.
The full list of nominees is as follows:
Best Movie:
Superbad
Juno
I Am Legend
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Transformers
Best Comedic Performance:
Amy Adams - Enchanted
Johnny Depp - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Jonah Hill - Superbad
Seth Rogen - Knocked Up
Adam Sandler - I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
Best Male Performance:
Michael Cera - Juno
Matt Damon - The Bourne Ultimatum
Shia LaBeouf - Transformers
Will Smith - I Am Legend
Denzel Washington - American Gangster
Best Female Performance:
Amy Adams - Enchanted
Jessica Biel - I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
Katherine Heigl - Knocked Up
Keira Knightley - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Ellen Page - Juno
Breakthrough Performance:
Nikki Blonsky - Hairspray
Chris Brown - This Christmas
Michael Cera - Superbad
Zac Efron - Hairspray
Megan Fox - Transformers
Jonah Hill - Superbad
Christopher Mintz-Plasse - Superbad
Seth Rogen - Knocked Up
Best Fight:
Alien vs. Predator - Alien vs. Predator: Requiem
Hayden Christensen vs. Jamie Bell - Jumper
Matt Damon vs. Joey Ansah - The Bourne Ultimatum
Sean Faris vs. Cam Gigandet - Never Back Down
Tobey Maguire vs. James Franco - Spider-Man 3
Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan vs. Sun Ming Ming - Rush Hour 3
Best Villain:
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd
Topher Grace - Spider-Man 3
Angelina Jolie - Beowulf
Denzel Washington - American Gangster
Best Kiss:
Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey - Enchanted
Briana Evigan and Robert Hoffman - Step Up 2 the Streets
Shia LaBeouf and Sarah Roemer - Disturbia
Ellen Page and Michael Cera - Juno
Daniel Radcliffe and Katie Leung - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Best Summer Movie So Far:
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Sex and the City
Speed Racer
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Iron Man
COPYRIGHT 2008 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All Global Rights Reserved.

Natalie Portman is set to star in a new feature adaptation of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
Portman will play heroine Catherine Earnshaw, who falls for Heathcliff in a passionate love that is ultimately thwarted.
The film, written by Girl With a Pearl Earring’s Olivia Hetreed, will be directed by John Maybury. Maybury’s credits include episodes of the miniseries Rome and 2005’s The Jacket with Adrien Brody and Keira Knightley.
Several screen versions have been made over the decades, but William Wyler’s 1939 version with Merle Oberon as Earnshaw and Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff is considered the definitive version, write today’s trades.
The last time it was brought to the screen, Heights paired Juliette Binoche with Ralph Fiennes.
Folks on the new project believe Portman will bring a freshness to the tale. “Natalie is without a doubt one of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation,” Tim Haslam, of international sales agency HanWay, told The Hollywood Reporter. “Combined with visionary director John Maybury, this promises to be a fresh, exciting version of a classic love story.”
Portman will next be seen in Jim Sheridan’s Brothers alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire.

Joined Johnny Depp for the action summer feature "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"

Nominated for the 2008 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Female Star

Played title role in feature adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina," directed by Joe Wright

Cast opposite Steve Carell in "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World"

Co-starred with James McAvoy in the period drama, "Atonement" based on the novel by Ian McEwan; earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama

Reprised role of Elizabeth Swann in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"

Portrayed Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire in the feature adaption of the best-selling biography, "The Duchess"

Co-starred with Michael Fassbender and Viggo Mortensen in David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method"

Played a French silkworm merchant's wife, opposite Michael Pitt in the period drama "Silk"

Co-starred in Richard Curtis' directorial debut "Love Actually"

Cast as Elizabeth Bennet, the eldest of five sisters in "Pride and Prejudice," an adaptation of the Jane Austen classic, directed by Joe Wright; earned Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress

Cast as Guinevere opposite Clive Owen in "King Arthur" a demystified take on the tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Summary

Possessed of a willowy physicality that belied her formidable inner strength, British actress Keira Knightley rose to international prominence after starring in an independent film and a big-budget action-adventure movie, but it was her nuanced work in both period pieces and contemporary dramas that placed her at the top of the list of film's most talented young stars. Having begun her professional career by the age of seven, Knightley was already a veteran by the time she landed a cameo as Natalie Portman's double in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" (1999). It was, however, the one-two punch of the soccer-themed comedy-drama "Bend It Like Beckham" (2002) followed by the swashbuckling juggernaut "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003) and its two sequels that truly cemented Knightley as an international star. Refusing to be pigeonholed, she continually broadened her range as an actress with lauded work in such films as "Pride and Prejudice" (2005), "Atonement" (2007), "Never Let Me Go" (2010) and "A Dangerous Method" (2011). Far more than a delicate, pretty face, Knightley never failed to challenge both herself and the audience with riveting performances in some of the most thought-provoking films of the day.

Met while working together in "Princess Of Thieves" (2001); Split November 2003

Education

Name

Notes

Knightley was diagnosed with dyslexia as a small child

"There are a lot of beautiful girls around the world, but the problem is, they can't turn off who they are when the camera turns on. Keira is very natural in front of the camera – when she becomes the character, you don't see any of the acting wheels turning" – Jerry Bruckeimer, producer of "Pirates of the Caribbean" to Vanity Fair April 2004

"To take this character who's so infamous and completely change her is one of the reasons that you do this job, to keep on changing and surprising people." – Knightley on playing Guinevere in "King Arthur" to People, July 9, 2004

"I first stared asking for an agent when I was three. I thought it was really unfair that I didn't have one. I got my first part when I was seven. I basically just stood in the background, smiled and looked very cute. I didn't really do very much." – Knightley to Vanity Fair, February 2003

"Sex scenes are easy. I don't have a problem with them. I'm an actress. I have certain tools – one of them is my body. I don't mind stripping off occasionally." – Knightley in the Mirror, May 14, 2007